Queenstown, New Zealand, 4th stop of a 6-stop tour with Grand Circle Travel (Cairns, Sydney, Christchurch, Queenstown, Auckland and Fiji)

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Feb 20, 2008: We took a scenic bus trip from Christchurch
to Queenstown, New Zealand. Here's a typical scene of
grape growing for wine making just north of town.


Queentown is a ski town during winter. In the summer
it's a resort town at the foot of the mountain next to a beautiful lake...


...with breathtaking sceneries...

We took a steam boat the next day to visit Walter Peak Farm

A pianist playing music on a grand piano. On the way back

everybody joined in to sing old songs. It was fun !

Walter Peak Farm raised sheep for wool. Here's a man

demontrated for us how they worked with one ...

...and shaved off all the wool on his body...

We watched how he commands his dog to round up the sheeps.

Walter Peak Farm is on a beautiful island with fantastic

panoramic views of water and mountains.

(Jane's photo)

Here we had a coffee break to enjoy the sceneries.

Beautiful orchids !

A chance to feed a deer.

After we got back to town we had a chance to try jet boating...

...at high speed over the Shotover River, winding through miles and miles

of very narrow and shallow channels, practically skipping over shallow

waters, some were only a couple of inches deep!

Some of the maneuvers got us dizzy and wet, especially when the

boat spins 360 degrees. It was fun..fun..fun..

and the mountains, water, meadows, etc... are gorgeous !!!

Bags pipes were played at the dock.

Feb 22, 2008: We went on a scenic tour to Milford Sound (Fjord).

Beautiful scenes along the way

Sherril at "Mirror Lake"

I like this pix next to a creek of Annabelle, Ned, Sherril and Janet.

Sharon

Jeannie and Bob

A walk through the fern grove...

Coldwater Creek... (Isn't that the name of a clothing store?)

We boarded a huge boat to travel through the Milford Sound (Fjord)

Breathtaking...

Next day on the way to the airport we had a chance to visit

Arrowtown, a historic gold mine town with many old structures

still preserved, including old shelters used by chinese miners !

Karen, our local guide was fabulous and very lovely!

We all loved to be photographed with her !

Here's an outhouse used by the chinese miners, with Audrey

sitting on the throne.

Here's comic Ned. This reminds me of a scene on the

Sopranos when the guy was constipated ... oh well, let's skip it !

We learned how badly the locals treated the Chinese miners.

The NZ government finally apologized to the Chinese recently !

Arrowtown Jail House, still in use until a few months ago.

Notice how they spell "Jail" : "Gaol" !!!

Karen played the flute for us. Talented lady !

Saying "Goodbye" to Karen.

Last night in Queenstown: Nothing like a round of NZ Monteith's

Black for everyone !!!

(Lon Chesnutt's photo)

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Our next stop is Auckland, NZ, the "City Of Sails". Click here:

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http://www.downunderaucklandnewzealand.blogspot.com/

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